Mauritius and Seychelles: traveling to dream islands in the Indian Ocean

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The sun is shining, a gentle breeze moves the palm leaves above me and the sound of the waves; I feel like I’m in heaven with my feet on the white sand and the view of the Indian Ocean. Although I saw many beaches on this trip, I have always been fascinated by the tropical scenery of Mauritius and the Seychelles.

The two island states are about two and a half hours away by plane and are popular honeymoon destinations. However, although they are similar in many ways, there are also some differences between countries. For example, Mauritius is of volcanic origin and, with an area of ​​2,040 square kilometers, is significantly larger than the Seychelles, with an area of ​​455 square kilometers consisting mostly of islands formed from continental mass. The main island of Seychelles is called Mahé, while the main island of Mauritius bears the same name.

Besides the hospitality and Creole cuisine in both African countries, what particularly impressed me was the nature. Anyone interested in plants and animals should take guided tours to the forest, mountains, bays, islands and coral reefs. There is so much to discover on land, on water or in the water!

Experience the underwater world while snorkeling

“The current is a little stronger than normal, but the water is very clear today,” explains oceanographer Vashish Soondur as he takes our tour group out into the Indian Ocean on a motorboat. He works at the Marine Discovery Center at the Lagoon Attitude Hotel in northern Mauritius, which helps preserve the marine ecosystem. After about a twenty minute ride we arrived at the snorkeling trail and there was plenty to see along the way through the windows on the belly of the boat.

The marine biologist is the first person to jump into the water. We follow him with snorkels, fins and goggles. At first the water is cool and when I see the striped girls around us I feel like I’m in another world. The school of fish also seems to find us exciting and stay close to us. Meanwhile, elongated trumpet fish gathered under the boat.

At the bottom of the sea, a little further away, there are boxes with arrows that we follow. In between, Vashish seems to draw our attention to special sea creatures: “There’s one of those red starfishes I was talking about here!” As we learned on the way, the spiny starfish is a poisonous species that feeds on corals. While snorkeling, we also came across a yellow haltere. When we reach the end of the path, we allow the current to drift freely towards the boat.

Geopark Trip

The minibus takes us to the southwest of Mauritius, beyond the mountains and seemingly endless sugar cane fields. I love how green the landscape is. Finally, we arrive at the protected “Chamarel 7 Color World Geopark”. The first stop is a viewing platform with views of Chamarel waterfall. Our guide, Jabeer Jumoorty, is also from Mauritius and explains that the geopark, the waterfall, and the nearby village are named after the Frenchman Charles Antoine de Chazal de Chamarel (1772-1829). This is a reminder of some of the country’s centuries-long colonial history.

The waterfall drops approximately 100 meters down a rocky edge surrounded by rainforest. The scene is made particularly dreamlike by some white-tailed tropicbirds circling above the valley. As in almost every part of the volcanic island, you can hear birdsong; but in this place, even in low season, the voices of numerous tourists are mixed together.

Then we continue to the seven-color world. The hilly landscape looks like it’s from another planet. The natural phenomenon is basalt lava that turns into clay minerals and further decomposes due to environmental influences. As Jabeer reports, iron oxide, among other things, has given the earth its colorful color, and there are many legends surrounding the place. There is also a cafe and an enclosure with Aldabra giant tortoises and a souvenir shop where you can buy Mauritian dodo souvenirs as well as the colorful world in test tubes.

In the middle of nature on Silhouette Island

Silhouette Island is 93 percent protected and is one of 115 islands in the Seychelles suitable for island hopping. We board the last boat leaving Mahé that day. The sky is bathed in golden light and we run into the sunset. The island growing in front of me, with its rainforest, reminds me of the movie “Jurassic Park” and I can’t wait to explore the landscape. After arriving at the Hilton hotel and having dinner, I went for a walk by the ocean under the full moon. Lots of crabs scurry around on the paths and sand.

The next morning, our tour group goes for a walk accompanied by guide Steven Boodna. “There are many endemic animal and plant species in the Seychelles, so they are only found here and are strictly protected,” Steven tells us as we climb a steep hill behind the resort. It passes over hills and valleys, which are challenging in 28 degree temperatures and high humidity.

Arriving in a clearing, the guide points to a colorful spider, almost the size of a hand, perched on a huge web: “You see a silk spider here. This species feeds on insects and is not aggressive.” To prove this, he takes the animal in his hand. I look at it closely, shocked and fascinated. Our group then walks past an old cemetery and towards the rocky viewpoint “Pointe Ramasse Tout”. We continue towards the adjacent bay where we will discover hermit crabs. Occasionally flying foxes fly over the palm trees; According to Steven, they are also called “flying foxes” because of the brown fur on their stomachs and heads.

“You can see from the rocks here that, unlike other islands in the Seychelles, Silhouette Island is made up of volcanic rock, not granite,” says Steven before setting off towards the Dauban Museum. The French Dauban family once owned the island and operated plantations of vanilla, cinnamon, coffee and, above all, coconut.

Scenic botanical tour

In Mahé, we go on a trip to Kempinski Mountain with tour guide Charles Simeon from Kempinski Resort, who tells interesting facts about the plants. We admire blooming peacock bushes, leafy rays of green, and learn that the neem tree is said to help with many health problems. The leaves and bark of the cinnamon tree, which is also said to be medicinal, have an intense scent and are used, for example, in making curry.

On the way, we try the coconut that Charles opened for us. «Coconut is extremely healthy. Its waters are isotonic and therefore ideal for dehydration. Nature is like a pharmacy and many plants can be used as medicine,” says Mahé’s guide.

The tour continues and takes us into the bush, to the top of the granite mountain. When we reach the top, the plants become sparse and a breathtaking coastal view awaits us. I can’t get enough of the blue tones of the sky and water. We return to Zurich the same evening, and in addition to my luggage, I collect wonderful memories from both islands.

This article was created as part of a press tour.

Source : Blick